Jayson Nix helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the IBAF Baseball World Cup in 2007.

USA Baseball announced Monday that Colorado Rockies second baseman Jayson Nix has been named the 2007 Richard W. "Dick" Case Award winner for his play on the USA Baseball World Cup Team last November. The award recognizes USA Baseball's Athlete of the Year and honors the organization's founding Executive Director/CEO.

A native of Midland, Texas, Nix was a key part of Team USA's run to gold at the 37th IBAF Baseball World Cup played in Taipei, Taiwan. The Rockies prospect went 2-4 with a home run, 2 RBIs, a run scored and a walk in a 6-3 win over Cuba in the gold medal final. In winning the gold, the U.S. snapped a 33-year winless streak at the Baseball World Cup, and it ended a run of nine consecutive championships for Cuba.

Following the final, Nix was recognized as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and top second baseman. Overall for the Baseball World Cup, Nix was 12-for-31 (.387) with nine runs scored, two home runs, six RBIs, three walks and two stolen bases.

"Jayson Nix represents everything that we look for in a player at USA Baseball," USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul V. Seiler said.

"His leadership and play at the World Cup last year set the pace for the team's gold medal, and we are proud to honor Jayson with the Richard W. Case Award."

Nix joins past winners Huston Street (2003), Ryan Zimmerman (2004), Ryan Shealy (2005) and J.P. Arencibia (2006) as recipients of the award. Nix is working out with the Rockies, competing for the starting second base job at Spring Training.